Battle of Varena

The Battle of Varena occurred on 22 June 1941 during Operation Barbarossa in World War II. The battle was a German victory, and it enabled the Germans to secure their supply lines.

History
Following the closure of the Lomzha-Bialystok Pocket, the bulk of the Soviet Red Army's border forces were obliterated or routed, and the German forces in and around the former pocket formed a new defensive line beyond the northern Neman River and the Shara River. The Soviets were disorganized as a result of the German attacks, and the Germans, although running out of fuel, decided to press their advantage. In Army Group North's sector, the push beyond Kaunas had stalled due to supply shortages, so the Germans decided to make a push along the Merkys River towards Vilnius in the northeast, threatening to create a new pocket in southern Lithuania.

The 19th Panzer Division was sent to secure the town of Varena along the Merkys River, as it was also the location of the junction of railroads heading to Vilnius to the northeast, Alytus to the northwest, and to Grodno in the southwest. The German armor was unstoppable, crushing the Soviet 184th Rifle Division. The 184th Division was routed, and the Germans captured Varena without any permanent losses; meanwhile, the 184th Division had suffered crushing losses.